Three-dimensional woven antenna housing prefabricated body woven and formed by multi-heald eye equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a three-dimensional woven radome preform woven and formed by a multi-heald eye device, weaving equipment with a plurality of independent controllable heald eyes is adopted, and the method comprises the following steps: S1, a weaving mold is provided, and the surface of the weaving mold is provided with a three-dimensional curved surface corresponding to the shape of a target preform; s2, a warp system is led to the weaving mold and penetrates through the independent controllable heald eye. By adopting a multi-heald-eye independent driving control scheme, the limitation of the number of healds of traditional fixed heald eye equipment is broken through, the weaving requirement of a large-size conical structure with the bottom maximum diameter being about 600mm and the axial length being about 900mm can be accurately met, meanwhile, yarns are arranged along the three-dimensional curved surface of the mold in a shape following mode, secondary preforming is conducted without the help of the mold, and the production efficiency is improved. According to the method, the size deviation and the structure damage caused by secondary processing are avoided, the production period is remarkably shortened, the economical efficiency and the efficiency of batch production are improved, and the weaving feasibility and the structure consistency of the large-size variable-thickness structure are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of composite material molding technology, and more specifically, to a three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device. Background Technology

[0002] As a critical wave-transparent structural component in the aerospace field, the performance of radomes directly affects the communication and detection accuracy of equipment. With the development of aerospace equipment towards lightweight, high-strength, and multifunctional integration, more stringent requirements have been placed on the mechanical stability, dielectric uniformity, and thermal adaptability of radomes. Traditional structures can no longer meet the long-term service requirements of high-speed flight scenarios, thus requiring high-performance molding processes to support radome manufacturing.

[0003] Currently, 3D woven composite materials, with their advantages of one-piece molding and strong interlayer bonding, have gradually become the core material choice for high-performance radomes. Existing 3D weaving processes mostly rely on traditional planar weaving equipment to achieve preform formation, adapting to different thickness requirements by adjusting the number of weft yarn layers. While some improved equipment has introduced zoned drive or tension feedback mechanisms, its primary goal remains adapting to simple structures. These processes have already found some application in the manufacturing of components of conventional sizes and single thicknesses, becoming the mainstream technical approach in the industry.

[0004] However, existing technologies still have certain problems in practical applications: On the one hand, due to equipment structure limitations, they are difficult to adapt to the molding requirements of complex curved surface structures such as conical and spherical shapes. After weaving, secondary shaping processing using molds is required, which not only affects the dimensional accuracy of the components but also reduces production efficiency. On the other hand, the tension adjustment and path control of the warp yarns lack precision. When dealing with structures of varying thickness, problems such as uneven fiber distribution in transition areas and loose interlayer bonding can easily occur, thus affecting the wave transmission performance and mechanical stability of the radome. In addition, existing equipment has insufficient molding capacity when weaving large-size components, failing to meet the manufacturing requirements of large radomes in the aerospace field. These defects severely restrict the further application of three-dimensional woven composite materials in the field of high-performance radomes. Therefore, we urgently need a three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using multi-hedral equipment to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide a new technical solution for a three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-harness device. By independently controlling the number, path, and tension of warp yarns through multiple hems, and combining yarn reduction technology with shallow cross-bending structure, a large-size variable-thickness preform can be integrally formed, eliminating the need for secondary preforming and ensuring tight interlayering, precise dimensions, and stable wave transmission performance.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a three-dimensional woven radome preform is provided using a multi-heddle device. The method comprises: S1: providing a weaving die having a three-dimensional curved surface corresponding to the shape of a target preform; S2: guiding a warp yarn system to the weaving die and passing it through the independent controllable heddles; S3: during the weaving process, independently controlling the movement trajectory of each heddle according to the shape of the three-dimensional curved surface of the weaving die to drive the corresponding warp yarns to follow the shape; S4: during the warp yarns following the shape, introducing weft yarns and interlacing them to directly weave a preform matching the shape of the three-dimensional curved surface on the weaving die.

[0007] Optionally, the preform is a variable-thickness radome preform, the thickness of which changes continuously along the curved surface, and the weaving equipment achieves the thickness change by adjusting the number of warp yarns or the number of weaving layers according to a preset thickness distribution diagram.

[0008] Optionally, the radome preform is a conical or spherical structure, and the warp yarns are produced using a yarn reduction process, gradually reducing the number of yarns from the thick area to the thin area.

[0009] Optionally, the thickness of the radome preform ranges from 8mm to 25mm, and it has a shallow cross-linked structure with tight interlayer bonding and no obvious pores.

[0010] Optionally, in S2, the warp yarn, before passing through the heddle, has its end connected to the weaving fixture via an elastic connector for adjusting and buffering the warp yarn tension.

[0011] Optionally, the elastic connector is an elastic rope. Multiple warp yarns controlled by the same heald are collectively tensioned through a set of elastic ropes, and the elastic deformation of the elastic ropes buffers the impact load during the weft insertion process.

[0012] Optionally, S3 also includes the step of applying a wetting medium to the yarn to keep its surface lubricated.

[0013] Optionally, in S4, a shallow cross-weave structure is used for interlacing, with a warp density of 9–13 yarns / cm and a weft density of 4–6 yarns / cm.

[0014] Optionally, the warp and / or weft yarns are transparent fibers, selected from at least one of quartz fiber, glass fiber or aramid fiber.

[0015] A weaving apparatus, comprising: a1: Tooling used to fix the weaving mold; a2: Multiple heddles, each heddle having at least one heddle eye; a3: Multiple independent drive mechanisms, each corresponding to one of the eyelets, are connected to independently control the movement trajectory of each eyelet in three-dimensional space; a4: The control system is configured to receive the three-dimensional surface shape data of the weaving mold and drive the independent drive mechanism to make the heddle move along a path that matches the three-dimensional surface.

[0016] 1. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-hedron device overcomes the limitation of the number of heddles in traditional fixed hedron devices by adopting an independent multi-hedron drive control scheme. It can accurately adapt to the weaving needs of large-size conical structures with a maximum bottom diameter of about 600mm and an axial length of about 900mm. At the same time, it allows the yarn to be arranged along the three-dimensional curved surface of the mold without the need for secondary preforming. This avoids dimensional deviations and structural damage caused by secondary processing, significantly shortens the production cycle, improves the economy and efficiency of mass production, and ensures the feasibility and structural consistency of weaving large-size variable thickness structures.

[0017] 2. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the three-dimensional woven radome preform formed by multi-hedron weaving is precisely adjusted from 12 to 36 layers with the thickness (8mm to 24mm) through the synergistic cooperation of shallow cross-bending structure design and warp yarn reduction process, achieving a smooth thickness transition without steps. At the same time, it forms a multi-layered interlocking three-dimensional structure, which greatly improves the interlayer shear strength of the preform and solves the defects of insufficient interlayer bonding and easy delamination and cracking in traditional two-dimensional plywood structures, so that the preform has both excellent mechanical stability and structural integrity.

[0018] 3. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-harness device effectively reduces friction and impact between the reed and the fiber through a combination of elastic cord buffering at the warp ends, distilled water humidification and lubrication during the weaving process, and manual reed threading. This avoids problems such as yarn fuzzing, breakage, and edge warp breakage, ensuring uniform yarn arrangement, dense structure, and low porosity. At the same time, it improves the utilization rate of raw materials such as type B quartz fiber, reduces production losses, and the process can be flexibly adapted to complex structures with multiple curvatures and varying thicknesses, such as conical and spherical shapes, providing reliable support for the customized production of radomes of different specifications.

[0019] 4. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-harness device achieves precise control over the number, path, and tension of warp yarns by partitioning, coupled with a standardized design of 11 warp yarns / cm and 5 weft yarns / cm. This ensures the uniformity of the dielectric constant of the preform, avoiding the fluctuations in wave transmission performance caused by uneven fiber distribution in traditional processes. Its low dielectric constant and stable wave transmission characteristics can be directly adapted to resin injection molding (RTM) processes. It can be used as a high-quality matrix for the manufacture of high-performance composite material radomes without additional processing, realizing the integration of structure and function, and providing reliable assurance for the high-speed flight requirements of aerospace equipment.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the shallow bending connection process of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the shallow bending connection process of the present invention on the machine. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the weaving tooling structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the weaving mold of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the warp yarn connecting elastic cord structure of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the warp yarn of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the device for fixing warp yarns to the top traction point according to the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the heddle threading method of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the reed threading method of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the warp opening of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a first-view diagram illustrating the weft insertion of the present invention; Figure 13This is a schematic diagram of the second perspective weft insertion of the present invention; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the weft insertion process of the present invention; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the reed traction device of the present invention; Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting process of the present invention; Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of the present invention; Figure 18 This is a flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] As attached Figure 18 As shown, a three-dimensional woven radome preform is woven using a multi-hedron device. The method includes: S1: Provide a weaving mold with a three-dimensional curved surface corresponding to the shape of the target preform.

[0025] See Appendix here. Figure 5 As shown, the provided weaving mold must be perfectly adapted to the three-dimensional curved surface of the target conical or dome-shaped radome preform. The mold surface must be polished, with a roughness controlled below Ra0.8μm to ensure the surface accuracy of the preform after molding. When installing the weaving mold onto the positioning surface of the weaving fixture, first lay a layer of foam pad on the positioning surface, then place the mold stably and fix it with the fixture clips. The foam pad completely covers the area where the mold contacts the fixture to prevent surface scratches caused by friction between the mold and the fixture during installation. After the mold is installed, use a level to check the mold's levelness to ensure that the level error meets the design requirements and avoid warp yarn misalignment due to mold tilt.

[0026] Furthermore, surface polishing and levelness testing of the mold further ensure the accuracy of the preform's curved surface forming, reducing subsequent processing allowances; full-coverage protection with foam pads prevents mold damage and enhances the stability of mold installation; level error control ensures uniform stress on the warp yarns, improving the overall structural consistency of the preform. The high-precision positioning of the mold installation provides a precise benchmark for subsequent warp yarn conformal arrangement, reducing correction costs during weaving and improving production efficiency.

[0027] S2: The warp system is led to the weaving die and passed through an independent controllable heddle. In S2, before the warp passes through the heddle, its end is connected to the weaving fixture through an elastic connector to adjust and buffer the warp tension.

[0028] The elastic connector is an elastic rope. Multiple warp yarns controlled by the same heald are collectively tensioned through a set of elastic ropes. The elastic deformation of the elastic ropes buffers the impact load during the weft-beating process.

[0029] Here, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 4 , 6 As shown in Figures 7 and 8, after S1 and before S2, the weaving fixture needs to be cleaned and inspected: Pour 99.7% anhydrous ethanol onto clean, dust-free wiping paper and wipe the fixture surface (including positioning surfaces, hooks, yarn guide channels, etc.) three times. Each wipe should be performed at a uniform speed in the same direction to avoid impurities remaining. Each wipe should be spaced at least 15 minutes apart, and after wiping, allow it to stand for 5 minutes to ensure complete evaporation of the ethanol. Simultaneously, collect qualified transparent fiber raw materials and check the integrity of the fiber packaging roll by roll to confirm that the material is within its expiration date and meets the specifications. The warp yarn specification is 195tex × 4 strands, with a single strand fiber fineness of 5.38tex, and the weft yarn specification is 190tex × 1 strand. Type B quartz fiber is preferred for transparent fiber. After pulling out the warp yarns, group all the warp yarns on a single heald and fix them sequentially on the hooks of the weaving fixture. The number of warp yarns in each group should not exceed one yarn. After the warp yarn ends are threaded through the elastic cord, they pass sequentially through the tension frame and the yarn guide frame, and are then fixed to the drafting device above the knitting die by clamps to avoid damaging the warp yarns. During the warping process, tension sensors are used to detect the tension of each warp yarn individually to ensure that the tension deviation of each group of warp yarns meets the design requirements and that there are no knots or tangles.

[0030] Furthermore, the combination of high-purity anhydrous ethanol and dust-free wiping paper ensures a more thorough cleaning effect, preventing impurities from embedding into the preform. Roll-by-roll raw material inspection and tension sensor detection ensure the uniformity of raw material properties and warp tension, reducing the probability of warp breakage during weaving. Controllable clamping force protects the integrity of the warp while ensuring stable fixation. Ethanol evaporates without residue, avoiding adverse effects on subsequent resin injection molding (RTM) processes and improving the overall performance stability of the composite material. Precise control of tension deviation lays the foundation for uniform weaving of shallow cross-linked structures.

[0031] S3: During the weaving process, the movement trajectory of each heald is independently controlled according to the three-dimensional curved surface shape of the weaving mold, so as to drive the corresponding warp yarns to be arranged in a conformal manner.

[0032] S3 also includes the step of applying a wetting medium to the yarn to keep its surface lubricated.

[0033] Here, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 11As shown, distilled water is applied to the yarn as the wetting medium, using an atomizing spraying device. The amount applied is sufficient to moisten the yarn surface without significant water droplets. The spraying frequency is once every 5cm of prefabricated material to avoid yarn fuzzing or breakage due to dry friction. Simultaneously, the warp yarns corresponding to each heald frame are grouped and managed. Each group of warp yarns is equipped with an independent tension feedback sensor to monitor warp tension changes in real time. If warp tension becomes slack (below the set value by 10%) or too tight (above the set value by 10%) during weaving, the control system automatically triggers the elastic cord adjustment mechanism. The elastic cord adjusts the warp tension in real time through its extension and contraction, combined with manual assistance to troubleshoot the cause of tension abnormalities (such as warp yarn tangling, equipment jamming, etc.) to ensure smooth opening.

[0034] Furthermore, the use of atomizing spraying devices ensures that distilled water evenly covers the yarn surface, resulting in more stable lubrication. Independent tension feedback sensors and automatic adjustment mechanisms enable real-time tension correction, improving the stability of the weaving process. High-precision motion trajectory control guarantees the accuracy of warp yarn alignment. The combination of group tension management and automatic adjustment reduces the frequency of manual intervention, simplifies operation, and avoids weaving interruptions caused by abnormal tension, thus improving production continuity.

[0035] S4: During the process of warp yarns being arranged in a conformal manner, weft yarns are introduced and interwoven to directly weave a preform that matches the shape of a three-dimensional curved surface on the weaving mold.

[0036] In S4, a shallow cross-weave structure is used for interlacing, with a warp density of 9–13 yarns / cm and a weft density of 4–6 yarns / cm.

[0037] Here, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 2-3 As shown in Figures 12-15, the weft yarns are introduced layer by layer from the bottom warp yarns using a manual weft insertion method. During the weft insertion process, a steel ruler with an accuracy of 0.02 mm is used to precisely position the weft yarns. The position is calibrated every three weft yarns to ensure uniform weft yarn arrangement and that the spacing between adjacent weft yarns does not exceed ±0.1 mm. The shallow cross-linked weave structure forms a multi-layered, interlocking three-dimensional structure with uniform spacing between the warp and weft yarn interlacing points, improving interlayer bonding strength. The beat-up operation uses a reed to push the weft yarns of the same layer parallel between the warp yarns. During the beat-up process, a visual inspection system checks in real time whether the reed is deformed, ensuring that the beat-up force on each weft yarn is uniform and that the weft yarns remain on the same horizontal line in the vertical direction. The density of the preform is controlled by adjusting the traction force of the reed traction device (adjustment range 50~200N), with a target porosity ≤1%. If the weft density detected on site does not meet the preset requirements (deviation exceeds ±0.2 yarns / cm), it is necessary to complete a cycle of weft insertion through multiple opening operations (maximum 3 times) until the density meets the standard.

[0038] Furthermore, the control of heddle threading and winding tension protects the integrity of the weft yarn; high-precision positioning and multiple calibrations with a steel ruler ensure the uniformity of weft yarn arrangement; a visual inspection system monitors reed deformation to avoid weaving defects caused by equipment problems; adjustable traction force and multiple weft insertions ensure that the preform's density meets the standards. Precise control of the weaving angle further enhances the interlayer shear strength of the preform, making the radome more impact-resistant in high-speed flight environments; strict control of porosity provides a good matrix for subsequent resin injection molding (RTM), improving the mechanical and dielectric stability of the composite material.

[0039] The warp and / or weft yarns are transparent fibers, selected from at least one of quartz fiber, glass fiber or aramid fiber.

[0040] Here, type B quartz fiber is preferentially selected for its wave-transmitting properties, which are stable in dielectric properties (dielectric loss tangent ≤ 0.001) and excellent in mechanical strength (breaking strength ≥ 3500 MPa), better meeting the wave-transmitting requirements of the radome and the service environment requirements of high-speed flight. The warp yarn specification is fixed at 195 tex × 4 strands; the weft yarn specification is fixed at 190 tex × 1 strand to ensure the consistency of raw material properties.

[0041] If glass fiber is selected, type E glass fiber is preferred, with a dielectric constant of 4.5~4.8 and a tensile strength ≥2800MPa; if aramid fiber is selected, para-aramid fiber is preferred, with a dielectric constant of 3.8~4.0 and a tensile strength ≥3000MPa. The warp and weft specifications of both types of fiber are consistent with those of type B quartz fiber.

[0042] Furthermore, the optimal types and core performance parameters of different wave-transparent fibers are clearly defined, facilitating selection by those skilled in the art based on actual needs and improving process adaptability. Standardized fiber specifications ensure consistency in the prefabricated structure woven from different fibers, facilitating the reuse of subsequent process parameters. The availability of multiple wave-transparent fibers broadens the application scenarios of the technical solution, meets the manufacturing needs of radomes with varying strength and dielectric performance requirements, and enhances the market applicability of the patented technology.

[0043] The preform is a variable-thickness radome preform, whose thickness changes continuously along the curved surface. The weaving equipment adjusts the number of warp yarns or weaving layers according to the preset thickness distribution map to achieve the thickness change. The radome preform has a conical or spherical structure. The warp yarns adopt a yarn reduction process, gradually reducing the number of yarns from the thick area to the thin area. The thickness range of the radome preform is 8mm to 25mm, and it has a shallow cross-bending structure with tight interlayer bonding and no obvious pores.

[0044] Here, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 , 17When using a yarn reduction process for the warp, the number of yarns is gradually reduced from the thickest area of ​​the preform (25mm thick, corresponding to the maximum diameter of 600mm at the bottom) to the thinnest area (8mm thick, corresponding to the minimum diameter at the top). The reduction gradient is 10% less warp yarns per 100mm of length, and the number of weave layers is reduced from 36 to 12 layers accordingly, ensuring a smooth thickness transition without obvious steps. After weaving, the preform is removed from the weaving fixture and the interlayer density is tested using non-destructive testing equipment (ultrasonic testing instrument, testing frequency 5MHz), with 100% coverage, ensuring no gaps larger than 0.1mm between layers. At the same time, the appearance of the preform is visually inspected to confirm the absence of defects such as looseness, broken yarns, and pilling, and the dimensional deviation is controlled within ±0.5mm. The qualified preform is then placed in a special packaging box lined with pearl cotton for sealing, and a desiccant (moisture absorption ≥30g / 100ml) is placed inside the packaging box to prevent the preform from getting damp.

[0045] Furthermore, the relationship between yarn reduction gradient and the number of weave layers is clearly defined to achieve a smooth and gradual change in thickness, avoiding uneven fiber distribution in the transition zone; ultrasonic non-destructive testing accurately identifies interlayer defects, improving the preform quality pass rate; the use of specialized packaging and desiccants protects the preforms from damage and moisture during storage and transportation. Strict control of dimensional deviations and full coverage of non-destructive testing reduce adjustment steps in subsequent assembly processes, lowering overall manufacturing costs; qualified preforms are directly compatible with RTM processes, shortening the production cycle and improving production efficiency.

[0046] A weaving apparatus, comprising: a1: Tooling used to fix the weaving mold.

[0047] Here, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 4 , 7 This fixture is made of high-strength aluminum alloy, anodized, with a surface hardness ≥ HV150 and excellent corrosion resistance. The fixture features a positioning groove that matches the weaving mold, with a dimensional tolerance controlled within ±0.05mm to ensure that the coaxiality error of the mold after installation does not exceed 0.1mm. A 3mm thick flexible silicone protective pad with a Shore hardness of 50HA is attached to the inner wall of the positioning groove, ensuring stable mold fixation while preventing damage from hard contact between the mold and the fixture. Multiple evenly distributed hooks with a 20mm spacing are pre-installed on the fixture surface. The hooks are made of stainless steel with a polished surface and a load-bearing capacity ≥100N, used for grouping and fixing warp yarns to ensure stability and orderliness during warp yarn arrangement. The bottom of the fixture is equipped with leveling feet with a leveling range of 0~10mm, allowing adjustment of the fixture's level according to the installation environment.

[0048] Furthermore, the high-strength aluminum alloy material and anodized treatment balance lightweight and durability; high-precision positioning grooves and silicone protective pads improve mold installation accuracy and protection; stainless steel hooks and leveling feet enhance the practicality and adaptability of the tooling. Precise coaxiality control prevents uneven warp stress during weaving, further improving the uniformity of preform thickness; corrosion-resistant materials and protective design extend the tooling's service life and reduce equipment maintenance costs.

[0049] a2: Multiple heddles, each heddle has at least one heddle eye.

[0050] Here, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 9 , 16 The number of heddle eyes on each heddle wire is flexibly adapted to the required warp density: one heddle eye for 9 warp yarns / cm, two heddle eyes for 11 warp yarns / cm, and three heddle eyes for 13 warp yarns / cm, with a heddle eye spacing of 10mm. The inner wall of the heddle eye is diamond-polished, with a surface roughness ≤Ra0.2μm, reducing frictional resistance when the warp yarns pass through and minimizing yarn damage. The heddle wire is made of a high-strength, wear-resistant alloy, with a hardness ≥HRC58 after heat treatment, providing excellent mechanical stability. The heddle wire has a rectangular cross-section (5mm×2mm), and its length is set to 300~500mm according to the weaving equipment specifications, ensuring that it is not easily deformed or broken during repeated lifting and lowering movements in the weaving process. The heddle wire and heddle eyes are manufactured using an integrated molding process, with a connection strength ≥200N, preventing the heddle eyes from falling off during weaving.

[0051] Furthermore, the number of heddle eyes is adapted to meet specific needs, improving the equipment's adaptability to different warp densities; diamond-polished heddle eyes and high-strength alloy heddle wires reduce yarn damage and equipment malfunctions; the integrated molding process enhances the connection stability between the heddle wires and heddle eyes. The ultra-smooth inner wall of the heddle eyes further reduces warp friction loss, improves warp utilization, and reduces raw material costs; the heddle wires have excellent mechanical properties, meeting the needs of long-term, high-frequency weaving and improving equipment operational stability.

[0052] a3: Multiple independent drive mechanisms, each corresponding to a specific eye, are connected to control the movement trajectory of each eye in three-dimensional space independently.

[0053] Here, the independent drive mechanism employs a high-precision servo drive unit, rigidly connected to each heald eye via a threaded connection with a tightening torque of 5 N·m to ensure a secure and loose connection. The drive unit's position control accuracy reaches ±0.01 mm, and its speed response frequency is ≥1 kHz. It can accurately receive commands from the control system, driving the heald eyes to achieve arbitrary trajectory movement in three-dimensional space. The movement range is ±50 mm on the X-axis, ±30 mm on the Y-axis, and ±100 mm on the Z-axis, ensuring that the warp yarns are arranged strictly conforming to the three-dimensional curved surface shape of the weaving mold. The drive mechanism is equipped with a braking device with a braking response time ≤10 ms, which can quickly fix the position of the heald eyes and prevent warp yarn deviation in the event of equipment stoppage or sudden failure.

[0054] Furthermore, the high-precision servo drive unit and rigid connection ensure the accuracy and stability of the heddle eye movement trajectory; the wide range of motion and fast braking device enhance the safety and adaptability of the equipment. During operation, it can respond at high speeds and adjust the heddle eye position in real time according to the control system commands, adapting to the rapid weaving needs of complex curved surfaces; standardized threaded connections facilitate the disassembly and maintenance of the drive mechanism, reducing equipment maintenance costs.

[0055] a4: The control system is configured to receive the three-dimensional surface shape data of the weaving mold and drive the independent drive mechanism to make the heddle move along a path that matches the three-dimensional surface.

[0056] Here, the control system uses an industrial-grade PLC as the core control unit, equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen display, supporting manual input and import of 3D curved surface shape data (supported formats: STEP, IGES, etc.). The control system not only receives the 3D curved surface shape data of the weaving mold, but also receives preset preform thickness distribution data, warp and weft density data, etc. Through a built-in dedicated algorithm (based on Bézier curve interpolation), it converts various data into independent drive commands for each heald eye, with a command issuance cycle of ≤10ms, and sends them to the independent drive mechanisms in real time. The system supports real-time data correction. Through data interaction with tension feedback sensors and a vision inspection system, if warp yarn arrangement deviation (exceeding ±0.05mm) or abnormal tension is detected during weaving, the drive commands can be quickly adjusted, with an adjustment response time of ≤50ms, ensuring the preform forming accuracy. The system also has data storage capabilities, capable of storing more than 100 sets of weaving parameters for easy retrieval in subsequent similar products.

[0057] Furthermore, industrial-grade PLCs and touch displays enhance the stability and ease of operation of the control system; dedicated interpolation algorithms and real-time data interaction ensure the accuracy of drive commands and dynamic correction capabilities; data storage enhances process reusability. Multi-type data compatibility and rapid response adjustments enable coordinated and precise control of complex curved surfaces and variable thickness structures, reducing the operational difficulty for technicians; and the storage of large amounts of process parameters shortens new product development cycles, improving enterprise production efficiency and market responsiveness.

[0058] In this invention, a three-dimensional curved weaving mold is used as the forming reference. A weaving device equipped with multiple independently controllable heddles is employed. The control system receives the three-dimensional curved shape and preset thickness distribution data of the mold and independently drives the movement of the heddles on a single heddle, enabling the warp yarns to be precisely arranged along the curved surface of the mold. The ends of the warp yarns are connected to the weaving fixtures via elastic ropes. The tension is adjusted in conjunction with the tension frame, yarn guide frame, and drafting device. Distilled water is sprayed during the weaving process to reduce yarn friction. At the same time, the warp yarns are managed in groups and tension deviations are corrected in real time. The weft yarns are wound around the heddle shuttle according to preset specifications. After being positioned by a steel ruler, they are introduced layer by layer between the warp yarns. The density of the preform is controlled by beating the weft with a steel reed and adjusting the traction force. The shallow cross-linking structure is combined to achieve multi-layer interlacing. The warp yarns are gradually reduced from the thick area to the thin area using a yarn reduction process. Finally, a three-dimensional woven radome preform with gradually varying thickness and tight interlayer bonding is woven integrally on the mold. It can be directly adapted to the resin injection molding process without secondary shaping.

[0059] The above description of the embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional woven radome preform manufactured using a multi-eye weaving device, characterized in that: The method, employing a weaving device with multiple independently controllable heddles, includes: S1: Provide a weaving mold, the surface of which has a three-dimensional curved surface corresponding to the shape of the target preform; S2: Guide the warp system to the weaving die and pass it through the individual controllable heald eyes; S3: During the weaving process, the movement trajectory of each heald eye is independently controlled according to the three-dimensional curved surface shape of the weaving mold, so as to drive the corresponding warp yarns to be arranged in a conformal manner; S4: During the process of warp yarns being arranged in a conformal manner, weft yarns are introduced and interwoven to directly weave a preform that matches the shape of the three-dimensional curved surface on the weaving mold.

2. The three-dimensional woven radome preform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preform is a variable-thickness radome preform, whose thickness changes continuously along the curved surface. The weaving equipment achieves the thickness change by adjusting the number of warp yarns or the number of weaving layers according to a preset thickness distribution diagram.

3. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radome preform is a conical or spherical structure, and the warp yarns are produced using a yarn reduction process, gradually reducing the number of yarns from the thick area to the thin area.

4. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thickness of the radome prefabrication ranges from 8mm to 25mm, and it has a shallow cross-bending structure with tight interlayer bonding and no obvious pores.

5. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the warp yarn, before passing through the heddle, has its end connected to the weaving fixture via an elastic connector for adjusting and buffering the warp yarn tension.

6. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic connector is an elastic rope. Multiple warp yarns controlled by the same heald are collectively tensioned through a set of elastic ropes. The elastic deformation of the elastic ropes buffers the impact load during the weft insertion process.

7. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 1, characterized in that: S3 also includes the step of applying a wetting medium to the yarn to keep its surface lubricated.

8. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S4, a shallow cross-weave structure is used for interlacing, with a warp density of 9–13 yarns / cm and a weft density of 4–6 yarns / cm.

9. A three-dimensional woven radome preform woven using a multi-eye device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The warp and / or weft yarns are transparent fibers, selected from at least one of quartz fiber, glass fiber or aramid fiber.

10. A weaving apparatus for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: a1: Tooling used to fix the weaving mold; a2: Multiple heddles, each heddle having at least one heddle eye; a3: Multiple independent drive mechanisms, each corresponding to one of the eyelets, are connected to independently control the movement trajectory of each eyelet in three-dimensional space; a4: The control system is configured to receive the three-dimensional surface shape data of the weaving mold and drive the independent drive mechanism to make the heddle move along a path that matches the three-dimensional surface.

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